Presenter s Guide. Functional Behavior Assessment Relevance for ASD. Presenter s Guide to the Autism Collection

Transcription

1 Presenter s Guide Functional Behavior Assessment Relevance for ASD 1

2 Acknowledgements Individuals who worked together, both on-site and electronically from across the country, to create this presenter s guide, represented the following stakeholder groups within the IDEA Partnership. The purpose of this guide and the complementary Power Point presentation is to make research and information more accessible to all interested stakeholders. Parent/Higher Education Florida General Education Administrator Illinois State Technical Assistance Providers Illinois, West Virginia, Minnesota, Ohio State Technical Assistance Providers Indiana, Kansas, Utah Adult & Family Services Administrator Ohio Occupational Therapist/Higher Education Ohio Parent/Higher Education Ohio Psychologists Texas General Education Teacher Connecticut Educational Diagnostician Texas Social Worker/Parent Ohio Special Education Administrator Kentucky 2

3 Table of Contents Purpose and Format Preparation Presentation/Process Introduction Definition The FBA Process Overview Steps in the FBA Process Step 1: Understand the Individual Step 2: Define the Target Behavior Step 3: Plan to Collect Data Step 4: Review and Analyze Data Step 5: Create the Hypothesis Step 6: Develop and Implement Behavior Plan Step 7: Monitor Behavior Plan Supplementary Materials Data Triangulation Chart ASD Fact Sheet

4 Purpose of this guide: This presenter s guide is intended to support the PowerPoint slides by offering Suggested background readings; Talking points relative to each slide; Suggested activities to enhance learning opportunities for participants; Tips to facilitate the professional growth experience; and Suggested readings for extension of learning. About the format: There are three distinct sections of this document, Preparation, Presentation/ Process, and Supplementary Materials. The preparation section begins on the following page and includes: Participant objectives; Suggested agenda/timeframes to help you meet the needs of the audience and/or available time allotment; Support/background materials the presenter may wish to access prior to preparation for presentation; Materials and supplies needed for the presentation; and Equipment needed for the presentation. The presentation/process section follows preparation suggestions and includes: Suggested minutes for information sharing and/or suggested activities for each of the key concepts of the presentation. Within each section minutes are enclosed in boxes and intended to be highlighted ahead of time dependent on the overall timeframe selected for the presentation; Slides in miniature, in sequential order, with talking points, o Usually in bulleted format, not intended to be read verbatim, and o Presenter is encouraged to interject his/her own style; Participant activities to enhance learning opportunities, indicated by a vertical line to the left of each activity, o May be carried out as suggested, or o Adjusted to audience and time allotment; Presenter notes to suggest background information or extension readings, noted in bold italic font; Presenter tips to suggest facilitation techniques, noted in bold italic font; and Suggested segue comments to bridge between ideas and/or activities, also noted in bold italic font. The supplementary materials section contains handouts that may be copied 4

5 and used to support or enhance the presentation. 5

6 Functional Behavioral Assessment: Relevance to ASD Preparation An important goal of this guide is to support the presenter in connecting the ideas in the presentation to practices at the state, local district, and building levels. Objectives: Participants will increase knowledge relative to Autism terminology and functional behavior assessment definitions Practices as related to FBA/ASD supports and interventions Additional resources available in the Autism Collection Agenda/Timing: 45/60 minutes - Total time for sharing information with extension activities 30 minutes - Total time for abbreviated information only 60 minutes - Total time for sharing information with extension activities Suggested time allotments: 2 min Introduction, Definitions and Requirements 5 min FBA: What it IS and is NOT 1 min Seven Steps in the FBA process 5 min Step 1: Understand the Individual 5 min Step 2: Define the target Behavior 8 min Step 3: Plan to Collect Data 15 min Step 4: Review and Analyze the Data 10 min Step 5: Create the Hypothesis 2 min Step 6: Develop and Implement the Behavior Plan 7 min Step 7: Monitor the Plan 35 minutes - Total time for abbreviated information/ awareness only Suggested time allotments: 2 min Introduction, Definitions and Requirements 3 min FAB: What it IS and is NOT 1 min Seven Steps in the FBA process 3 min Step 1: Understand the Individual 3 min Step 2: Define the target Behavior 7 min Step 3: Plan to Collect Data 6 min Step 4: Review and Analyze the Data 5 min Step 5: Create the Hypothesis 2 min Step 6: Develop and Implement the Behavior Plan 3 min Step 7: Monitor the Plan 6

7 Support Materials: IDEA Partnership website for the complete Autism Collection Data Triangulation Chart ASD Glossary Materials and Supplies: PowerPoint slides - or - Overheads prepared from the PowerPoint slides Handout Masters to be copied in appropriate numbers Chart paper and markers Paper and pencils for participants Equipment: Computer and projector -or- Overhead projector Projection screen 7

8 Functional Behavior Assessment: Relevance for ASD Presentation/Process Introductions, Definitions and Requirements: 2 minutes 2 minutes Ideas for sharing with participants: The IDEA Partnership acknowledges the work of the Autism Society whose contribution to the field greatly enhanced the development of this Collection, and is deeply grateful for their assistance in order to provide materials to all stakeholders. 8

9 Presenter Tip: Persons from each of the role groups listed were involved in both on-site meetings, conference calls, and on-line follow up to develop the materials in the Autism Collection. Ideas for sharing with participants: *The Presenter s Guide acknowledges in greater detail the individuals who worked together, both on-site and electronically from across the country, to create this presenter s guide. *This slide is included to emphasize the cross-stakeholder groups involved in the development of this presentation. The Autism Development Team reflects the belief that engaging cross stakeholder groups in the development & implementation of trainings and approaches is most effective. *The purpose of this guide and the complementary Power Point presentation is to make research and information more accessible to all interested stakeholders. Presenter Tip: Information presented here is intended as an advance organizer only. 9

10 Presenter Tip: The following slides on definitions are presented here, and adjustments may be made dependent upon the knowledge base of the participants. For an advanced group, briefly touch on each as a reminder only. Ideas for sharing with participants: IDEA 04 is the federal law that governs the identification, evaluation and provision of services to eligible children with disabilities in the public schools. This definition requires that not only must the specified disability (in this case, autism) be present in the child, and generally observable before age three, but that the disability must also be shown to adversely affect the child s educational performance. Note that while autism is generally evident by age of three, some children on the autism spectrum, particularly those with Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger Syndrome will be identified later than the age of 3 years. The educational definition does not make distinctions between autism, PDD- NOS and Asperger Syndrome as the current medical definition does. Instead, the educational definition is more descriptive, listing characteristics of an individual on the autism spectrum. Educational performance is defined as academic and functional performance. Functional performance includes all aspects of communication, as well as behavioral and social functioning. 10

11 Ideas for sharing with participants: The characteristics given are examples; they are not required to be present in each child, nor is this list all-inclusive. The IDEA definition of autism is written broadly to cover the characteristics of autism, Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. Even though a medical evaluation indicates that the child is identified somewhere along the spectrum, an educational evaluation must still be performed in order to assess the impact (adverse affect) of this disability on the child s educational performance. * By the same token, a clinical evaluation diagnosing a child with autism would be a powerful indicator for the school that a comprehensive educational evaluation should be conducted to verify: (1) the presence of an educational disability and (2) its impact upon educational performance. * Educational programming is determined by the IEP Team, which includes parents. The services are based upon the needs of the individual child, thus there can be no prescribed curriculum and/or services for a child with Autism; each child will require a different and individualized scope and intensity of educational service. 11

12 Ideas for sharing with participants: * Educational performance is defined to include both academic achievement and functional performance. Functional performance includes all aspects of communication, as well as behavioral and social functioning. * These present levels of academic achievement and functional performance describe how the student is doing in different areas and how the student uses what he/she learned throughout the day. This part of the IEP should describe how the student s disability affects his or her participation in the general education curriculum and how the student performs in academic and nonacademic settings. * For the student with autism spectrum disorder, the area of functional performance must also include how he or she interacts with peers within the social, non-academic areas of school involvement such as lunch and recess time, clubs and extracurricular activities * As the team completes the Present Levels of Academic and Functional Performance section of the IEP, they may want to include a variety of content including but not limited to: results of functional assessments, academic performance in the general ed. curriculum, current instructional levels classroom interventions, materials time or personnel, functional strengths and needs, etc. * The social challenges of ASD are extensive, and functional skills must be taught alongside academic skills. 12

13 The FBA Process Overview: 5 minutes 3 minutes Ideas for sharing with participants: * It is important to note that any child with an IEP, regardless of the child s specified disability determination, may demonstrate behavior that impedes the learning of self or others. In addressing the issue of the impact of behavior on learning, the IEP team must consider the need for an FBA. * The other two situations on this slide require the administration and or review of an FBA. 13

14 Ideas for sharing with participants: FBA should not be conducted by one person who then writes a plan and gives it to the IEP Team. The FBA should be a process that is completed by a team, and it is part of a comprehensive program. The FBA is to include a variety of environments and individualized strategies designed to target the underlying characteristics from which behavior occurs. Potential team members: someone who understands ASD, someone who understands behavior analysis, teachers, someone knowledgeable about interventions, someone who understands the individual, parents, someone who understands the FBA process, caregiver, speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, someone authorized to commit resources, administrator, student as appropriate (*Note: one person may fill more than one role; all members may not be present at the same time in the meeting, but everyone s input is needed.) * This team may be the IEP team. * The team does not need to be lead by a specific discipline. * It is essential to identify the purpose of the behavior---all behavior is an attempt to communicate WHAT is the individual with ASD saying with this behavior? 14

15 Presenter Note: This list of negative examples may provoke discussion, reactions from the participants. Ideas for sharing with participants: * Read and emphasize slide content. * Responsibility for the behavior and for student learning resides with everyone involved, e.g., teacher, administrator, and student. Ideas for sharing with participants: * The FBA is only a small part of a comprehensive program for the student to facilitate student learning. 15

16 Steps in the FBA process: 1 minute 1 minute Presenter Note: Each of these steps is detailed on the following slides--- this slide is to be used as an advance organizer. Ideas for sharing with participants: The FBA process is cyclical. Once a plan is in place it is continually implemented and reevaluated through data collection. The team determines changes to the plan and must align to data based outcomes. An additional resource is: National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders 16

17 Step 1: Understand the Individual 5 minutes 3 minutes Ideas for sharing with participants: * Refer to the Characteristics of ASD Collection to gain a basic understanding of ASD. * Essentials for Educators DVD; Utah Personnel Development Center: * Processing: How does the student process information (modality, speed)? Does he need additional wait time for comprehension? Are processing modalities intact (auditory, visual, and tactile)? Does student need to receive information in multiple modalities? or Is the student s comprehension adversely impacted by information coming from more than one modality at a time? * Executive Functions: Executive functioning refers to a collection of brain processes which are responsible for planning, flexibility, abstract thinking, and rule acquisition, initiating appropriate actions and inhibiting inappropriate actions, and selecting relevant sensory information. * What are the student s strengths/weaknesses in executive functioning areas? (e.g., initiation of task, attention; ability to shift cognitive thinking/problem-solving approaches or behavioral responses (flexibility); organization; planning; emotional control, self-monitoring, task completion; working memo. 17

18 * Is the student able to follow another person s thinking or take on his or her perspective? * Does the student see things /understand them from a big picture or global perspective? or Does he/she get so caught up in the details that understanding the big picture becomes impossible? *Does the individual have differences from typical peers in: --functional and social communication skills? --ability to interact and relate to adults and peers? --responses to sensory input (over- or under-sensitivity)? *Does the student have fine or gross motor differences? atypical or repetitive motor mannerisms? * Does he/she demonstrate repetitive or stereotyped behaviors? *Are there health, medical, or biological differences/areas of need or complications? 18

19 Step 2: Define the Target Behavior: 5 minutes 3 minutes Ideas for sharing with participants: Step 2. Identifying the Targeted Behavior In Step 2, members of the multidisciplinary team identify the behavior that will serve as the target of the assessment and intervention strategies. Target behaviors include disruptive or repetitive behaviors that interfere with optimal development, learning, and/or achievement. * Team members identify the targeted behavior that is most problematic for the learner that will serve as the focus of the FBA. * If more than one targeted behavior is occurring on a regular basis, team members must decide which behavior will serve as the target for the FBA. Any behaviors that involve safety should be addressed first. * The following questions also may be helpful when deciding which behavior should be the target for intervention: Is the behavior dangerous to the learner or others? Does the behavior interfere with learning (e.g., academic, social)? Does the behavior interfere with socialization or acceptance from peers? Is the behavior disruptive or intense on a frequent basis? From FBA Module Page 2 of 12 National Professional Development Center on ASD 19

20 Ideas for sharing with participants: * The description or definition of behavior must be operational (i.e., observable and clear) so that anyone reading the description can know what the designated behavior looks like. Example: Lazy is vague and would be difficult to measure. Staff members may define lazy in a variety of terms. An operational definition of lazy defines what being lazy looks like does not put homework in a bin or puts head on desk during math. From A Framework for Designing Comprehensive Interventions for Individuals with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome: The Ziggurat Model, p : * Behaviors that are operationally defined meet two criteria: 1.Behaviors are observable and measurable. 2.Using the definition, two people are able to identify the same behavior when it occurs. * Unless we are specific in our behavioral description of the target or undesired behavior, we cannot measure its occurrence to determine its frequency, duration, or severity to plan for effective interventions. 20

21 Step 3: Plan to Collect Data 8 minutes 7 minutes Ideas for sharing with participants: *Direct observation is almost always a part of the data collection process even if the primary teacher has collected classroom data An interview of caregivers or educators that have the opportunity to observe the student on a regular basis throughout the day can serve as data to better understand the factors impacting the behavior. Additionally, this information can drive the ABC data collection process by establishing the best time to take ABC data based on identified times, environments, activities, and people. (Example of an FBA interview Dunlap s PTR interview. 21

22 Ideas for sharing with participants: *Process may not include all of the above but will be more thorough if it includes several different methods of collecting data. For example, --a records review will assist in determining the history of the behavior(s) (or other similar behaviors) and how long it has been a problem. --Interviews and/or completion of checklists or questionnaires by various persons This process could establish the pattern of the behavior across settings and environments. --Direct observations by a neutral observer could provide perspective concerning the attitude of the student in various settings, the supports/accommodations provided by the instructional staff (or lack thereof), and the nature of the reactions/responses of the instructional staff to the student s behaviors. Observations may also pick up on salient factors not otherwise noted in the setting or in the instructional process. * Direct observations are almost always a part of the data collection process even if the teacher has collected classroom data. * Usually includes recording what happens before, during and after the behavior (ABC), specifying setting. Presenter Note: (Resource for additional reading: Prevent Teach Reinforce by Dunlap, Ovannone, et. al. PTR Functional Behavior Assessment Checklist 22

23 Ideas for sharing with participants: Presenter Note: (Resource for additional reading: Prevent Teach Reinforce by Dunlap, Ovannone, et. Al., p. 42) * Antecedents are distinct people, events, or situations that immediately precede the target behavior. * Target behavior is the behavior of concern identified by the team as being significant. * Consequences are the events that follow the target behavior, whether positive or negative. * Setting events are those conditions that that are separated from the target behavior in time and space, including biological or physical conditions (e.g., medication, fatigue, hunger, illness), social events (e.g., fight with parent or sibling, bus difficulties, incarcerated parent), or environmental situations (e.g., noise, lighting, temperature). They can occur immediately before a target behavior, or days before. Some setting events are obvious, while others can be more difficult to identify. Examples of setting events may include illness, death of a family member, lack of sleep. Discuss with participants: Review the scenario on the slide. What if the substitute teacher moved the other child to another computer? Made Jamal apologize? 23

24 Ideas for sharing with participants: This slide gives additional examples of the definitions/content of the previous slide. * Jamal s behavior probably would have been less demonstrative if he did not have two negative/unexpected events occur (i.e., no chicken tenders as expected; completed a worksheet that he had done previously). * The combination of the two events was more than Jamal could handle. It is often difficult for educational professionals to understand that a particular behavior is impacted by multiple events. 24

25 Step 4: Review and Analyze Data 15 minutes 6 minutes Ideas for sharing with participants: How many incidents do you have that occur with? Under specific circumstances? For example: With a substitute teacher? When the classroom or daily routine has been changed? With a specific type of assignment (such as written composition)? In the absence of certain accommodations? During new learning? During group work? When an assignment is too hard for the student or beyond the student s ability level? 25

26 Presenter Tip: This model is also effective for individuals with classic autism across the lifespan. Ideas for sharing with participants: * The traditional way to view the behaviors of individuals is to (a) Clearly define the behavior and then (b) Define the antecedents and (c) Consider consequences. These steps are essential. It is important for the behavior to be operationalized so that it can be measured. In addition, knowing what happens before and after the behavior occurs can provide valuable information about the behavior. * However, this approach does not take into account much of the information that is necessary to understand the individual with ASD his or her ASD-related characteristics. Resource: Schopler, E. (1994). Behavioral priorities for autism and related developmental disorders. In E. Schopler & G. B. Mesibov (Eds.), Behavioral issues in autism (pp ). New York: Plenum Press. Segue: The next slide will guide your discussion of the underlying characteristics of ASD. 26

27 Presenter Tip: The ABC-Iceberg from the Ziggurat Model (Aspy & Grossman 2008) provides a complete look at the targeted behavior of an individual with ASD. Ideas for Sharing with participants: * Because of their exceptionality, individuals with ASD have many gaps in skills that cut across domains (e.g., social, communication, cognitive, sensory). Often, needs are communicated through behavior. A meltdown, for example, can be viewed as a strong indicator of emotional vulnerability and a need to learn coping skills. Similarly, dominating conversations by talking exclusively about obsessions may indicate an inability to understand others perspectives and a lack of skills for keeping a conversation going (by asking the listener questions). * * Skill deficits can be a major source of behavioral concerns and are a key area to address in all interventions. For behavior to change and skills to generalize, the underlying characteristics of ASD must be addressed in an intervention plan. * Schopler s (1994) used an iceberg as a metaphor to illustrate the concept that visible behaviors (the portion of the iceberg above the surface of the water) are manifestations of underlying or hidden characteristics of autism (the portion of the iceberg beneath the surface of the water). * Effective behavior interventions must address underlying needs and not simply the visible or surface behaviors. Thus, interventions based on the iceberg concept are designed to address underlying deficits or characteristics associated with autism. Aspy and Grossman (2008) modified the iceberg, creating the ABCiceberg to include the ABC chain in addition to depicting underlying characteristics of ASD. Resource: Aspy, R., & Grossman, B. G. (2008). Designing comprehensive interventions for individuals with high-functioning autism and Asperger Syndrome: The Ziggurat Model. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing. 27

28 Presenter Note: Use the Data Triangulation Chart (handout) for discussion with more advanced participants. Ideas for sharing with participants: * The heart of the FBA process lies in effective review and analysis of the data to develop hypotheses of why the behavior is occurring. The Data Triangulation Chart can be a helpful tool in summarizing the information collected from all the different sources for a functional assessment. You may have 2 sources or you may have more than 3, but is serves as a good way to get all the information in one place as a team so that common themes and patterns can be evaluated. * It is also important to summarize the observational data for the team to look at patterns in the frequency of different events and possible triggers. Graphing the frequency of ABC instances that occurred when a demand was placed, or when a favorite item or activity was denied to the student, can help identify important factors in the function of the behavior as well as provide solid information for developing a plan to address those issues. It can be useful to summarize the frequency of instances of behavior along the following variables: who was present, types of antecedents (e.g., attention shifted from student, demand or direction given), common times of day that the behavior occurs (e.g., transitions, loud situations), and frequent consequences (e.g., demand removed, student removed from situation, student redirected, student scolded or attended to in some way, other students give an item to the student). Summarizing the data can be as simple as making a list or tally marks for each common instance, graphing the data by specific variables, or sorting index cards of the ABC instances by common elements and determining the most frequent stack. Source: 28

29 Step 5: Create the Hypothesis 10 minutes 5 minutes Ideas for sharing with participants: * As you look at the ABC data and review the interviews/checklists, information from the records, and everyone s input about the behavior, ask yourself the following questions: Why do you think the behavior is occurring? How is the student s autism (e.g., sensory issues, difficulty shifting focus, lack of understanding others perspectives) affecting her ability to get her needs met appropriately? What do you think is motivating and maintaining the behavior? What could the student do instead of the behavior and still get needs met? How can we change the situation so that the student doesn t need to use the behavior to get what she needs? How can we help the student to cope with the characteristics of his autism (e.g., sensory overload, need for perseveration, difficulty communicating effectively) to avoid the behavior? * It is also important to remember that many behaviors will not serve only one function; most behaviors are more complex and the same form of behavior (e.g., hitting, kicking, biting) can serve multiple functions (e.g., to get something, to protest, to get away from the demand). * The most successful plan will be built on a functional assessment that takes as many elements and potential functions into account in creating the hypotheses. 29

30 The more information included or accounted for in the hypotheses, the better the team will be able to account for and address it in the behavior plan. * If the team is having difficulty determining or coming to consensus on the function and resultant hypothesis, consider the following questions to assist reaching consensus (from Dunlap s PTR book page 51-52) * Does the targeted behavior always occur under similar environmental conditions? * Do the same behavior patterns occur in different environmental settings? * Does the targeted behavior occur fairly equally across all environmental conditions? * Does something happen immediately before the targeted behavior occurs or does the behavior occur after a time delay? * Does the student have access to something after engaging in the targeted behavior that he or she did not have access to before? * Was the student able to escape something after engaging in the targeted behavior? *Does the targeted behavior occur after the removal of a preferred item, activity, or individual? * What immediately follows the occurrence of the targeted behavior? * What usually follows the display of appropriate behavior? *Is more information needed? If so, what is the best way to obtain the information? * Are other data collection measures needed? * Would a brief interview with the parent or caregiver provide pertinent information? 30

31 Presenter Note: This is a common format for a hypothesis statement. Ideas for sharing with participants: You may develop multiple hypotheses statements to account for all the different types of variables that affect a specific student s behavior. The hypothesis statement should include information detailing when and in what situations the behavior is most likely to occur, why the behavior is most likely to occur, what the student gets from exhibiting the behavior (removal from situation, help with solving a problem), how the individual s ASD characteristics impact the behavior, and what the common outcomes of the behavior are that may be maintaining the behavior. If the student exhibits the behavior for multiple functions (this is common) you may have several hypotheses statements for that behavior. * Remember that the more information you are able to glean from your data collection and include in your hypotheses statements, and the more information that you can include in your hypotheses statements about the behavior, the better you will be able to develop a plan that addresses those issues. The more comprehensive your hypotheses are, the more likely the behavior is to be effective. * Finally, remember that a hypothesis is just a hypothesis it may be right or it may be wrong. It is a best guess about what is going on with the individual. The ultimate test of whether it is accurate will come when you develop a plan based on the hypotheses of the functions of the behavior. Segue: With these things in mind, let s develop possible hypothesis in reference to the information that we have about Jamal. 31

32 Presenter Tip: It might facilitate discussion to return to slides 18 and 19 for a review of Jamal s behaviors. Ideas for sharing with participants: Examples: 1) When unexpected changes occur in Jamal s day, Jamal will become upset and destroy materials, cry and yell in order to express his frustration (can t do this verbally) because of his ASD characteristics of strong need for sameness, difficulty handling stress, difficulty communicating his needs/wants, and his poor problem-solving skills. 2) When Jamal is given a math worksheet consisting of problems that he believes he has already mastered, he rips up the worksheet, throws it on the floor and yells at the teacher in order to avoid having to complete the worksheet because of his ASD characteristics of difficulty managing stress, expressing his frustration verbally, communication deficits, and emotional vulnerability deficits. 32

33 Step 6: Develop and Implement a Behavior Intervention Plan 2 minutes 2 minutes Ideas for sharing with participants: * The plan must be clearly linked to the hypotheses statements you have developed. * The plan should address all the elements outlined in the hypotheses statements to best meet the individuals needs. * It should include preventive strategies that modify the environment to reduce the need for the behavior to occur (e.g., changing triggers, providing accommodations or positive behavior interventions and supports). * It should also include strategies for teaching skills that serve the same function of the behavior so that the student begins to be able to meet his own needs in a more appropriate way. * Finally, the plan should have an outline of how the team members will respond to the behavior if it occurs to reduce the likelihood of reinforcing the behavior while assuring that everyone is safe. 33

34 Ideas for sharing with participants: (CAPS) Comprehensive Autism Planning System Develops an intervention plan considering: the underlying characteristics of ASD, the behavior intervention plan that has been developed with the benefit of the results of the FBA process. CAPS plans out the school day by looking at all parts of the day and determining the following: Time of day Activities Targeted skills to be taught Specific structure needed for each time period along with modifications/accommodations Reinforcement that will be used Sensory strategies Communication and social skills supports/strategies that will be used Data collection that will occur Generalization Plan 34

35 Step 7: Monitor the plan 7 minutes 3 minutes Ideas for sharing with participants: A FBA is an ongoing process, not a one-time evaluation. It is ever changing because the student s behaviors are always changing. It is important to assure that the team continues to meet, after the development of the plan, to review the plan and its implementation, review data collected on the behavior to see if what is being done is effective, and to make changes to the plan to improve its effectiveness over time. Changes may also have to be made because sometimes the functions of the behavior will change over time, as will the reinforcers to which they student responds The cycle of this slide represents the ongoing process of FBAs and behavior support plans over time. Finally, the best validation of whether the hypothesized functions of the behavior are correct is the development and implementation of a behavior plan that effectively reduces the frequency/severity of the behavior addressed while improving the opportunities and quality of the student s everyday life. 35

36 Presenter Note: If your participants do not know of Temple Grandin, use the short bio below to introduce her. A reference to the recently shown movie on TV may also be helpful. Ideas for sharing with participants: Temple Grandin (born August 29, 1947) is an American Doctor of Animal Science and professor at Colorado State University, bestselling author, and consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior. As a person with highfunctioning autism, Grandin is also widely noted for her work in autism advocacy and is the inventor of the hug machine designed to calm hypersensitive persons. Grandin is listed in the 2010 Time 100 list of the 100 most influential people in the world in the category Heroes. Grandin was born in Boston Massachusetts, to Richard Grandin and Eustacia Cutler. She was diagnosed with autism in Having been labeled and diagnosed with brain damage at age two, she was placed in a structured nursery school with what she considers to have been good teachers. Grandin's mother spoke to a doctor who suggested speech therapy, and she hired a nanny who spent hours playing turn-based games with Grandin and her sister. At age four, Grandin began talking, and making progress. She considers herself lucky to have had supportive mentors from primary school onwards. However, Grandin has said that middle school and high school were the worst parts of her life. She was the "nerdy kid" whom everyone teased. At times, while walking down the street, people would taunt her by saying "tape recorder," because she would repeat things over and over again. Grandin states that, "I could laugh about it now, but back then it really hurt."after graduating from Hampshire Country School, a boarding school for gifted children in Rindge, New Hampshire, in 1966, Grandin went on to earn her bachelor's degree in psychology from Franklin Pierce University in 1970, her master's degree in animal science from Arizona State University in 1975, and her doctoral degree in animal science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in (from Wikipedia) Brainy Quote (2010). Brainy Quote. Retrieved November 24, 2010 from 36

37 Presenter Tip: Be sure to allow sufficient time for participants, or have them write their questions and then compile with the answers and distribute as a follow-up to this training. 37

38 Functional Behavior Assessment Supplementary Materials Handout # 1 Data Triangulation Chart Handout # 2 Fact Sheet 38

39 Data Triangulation Chart Student Jamal Dates January Source 1 Source 2 Source 3 ABC Chart Interview with Teacher Interview with Mom When something unexpected occurs (e.g., substitute, different food at lunch), Jamal often has more difficulty accepting work demands or tolerating not getting what he wants. Many times the data indicate that he gets what he wants or is removed from the situation because of his behavior. Jamal gets upset when things don t go his way. He has difficulty when the routine changes or something new is introduced. When he gets upset because he is asked to do something, I usually send him to the office or we move on to another activity, because this is the only thing that calms him down. His peers often give him what wants when he threatens to hit them. Jamal has always wanted things to go his way and he gets upset when he can t have it. If we tell him we are going to do something and we can t do it, that s when we see the behavior. His siblings typically give him what he wants rather than fighting with him. I find it easier to plan our days around his interests or we would be fighting with him all day. He just doesn t understand that sometimes things don t go as planned. Sometimes we don t even know that he is expecting something until it s too late because he can t always tell us what he wants to do or thinks is going to happen next. Interpretation Interpretation Interpretation Has a strong need for sameness Disruptions in routine are challenging Displays poor problem solving skills Has a strong need for sameness Disruptions in routine are challenging Displays poor problem solving skills Difficulty managing Difficulty managing stress stress and anxiety and anxiety Difficulty with goal Has a strong desire for oriented behavior things to go his way, but Has a strong need for sameness Disruptions in routine are challenging Difficulty managing stress and anxiety Has a strong desire for things to go his way but lacks the skills to tell others Other people tend to give 39

40 Difficulty expressing frustration verbally Difficulty understanding connections between his behavior and consequences lacks the skills to tell others what he needs Frequently is removed from situations in which the behavior occurs him his way rather than fight with him Difficulty expressing frustration verbally 40

41 Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Collection What are Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)? ASD is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person s ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a "spectrum disorder" that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause for autism. ASD is a lifelong disorder with no single cause. What resources are available to practitioners in the collection? A dynamic, comprehensive collection of materials and resources to assist in your understanding of ASD and implementation of appropriate interventions and supports for individuals on the autism spectrum across the lifespan including: PowerPoint Presentations with Presenter s Guides One presentation is designed to introduce core principles and characteristics and spark interest in further training; the second is a comprehensive training on supports and interventions designed to impact practice across stakeholder groups; the third is focused upon assessment for identification; the fourth describes the connections between assessment and educational programming; the fifth describes Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA); the sixth describes schoolwide socialemotional learning as it applies to learners on the spectrum; the seventh is designed to describe school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support & students with autism ; the eighth is focused upon tips and tweaks for effective school wide PBIS for students with ASD; and the ninth focuses upon transition to adulthood. A separate Presenter s Guide with content and notes is included for each presentation. Glossary - Key terms and acronyms associated with autism spectrum disorders Dialogue Guides - Models for conducting interactive discussions on autism spectrum disorders across stakeholder groups Essential Elements/Guiding Principles/Grounding Assumptions - Unifying beliefs that are the foundation for our collaborative efforts in the area of ASD Resource Listing Extensive list of ASD resources available. ASD Resources 41